Process for manufacturing explosives.



URUOO om'rnp sT r s PATENT 1 OFFICE.

CARL HARTMANN, F SGHLEBUSGH, NEAR COLOGNE, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO THE lFIRM OF SPRENGSTOFF A..-G-. CARBONIT, 0F HAMBURG, GERMANY.

PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING EXPLOSIVES.

No Drawing. I

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CARL HARTMANN, a subjectof the German Emperor, and, resident of Schlebusch, near Cologne-on-theRhine, Germany, have invented a certain new and useful Process forManufacturing C H is carried out by treating nitrated chloro benzolswith alkali sulfates. This method entails numerous defects and furnishesa poor yield. An improved method roducing 2.4.2.4'-tetra-nitrodiphenylsull fd is described in German Patent No.

94077 of Class 12. The method there described is based upon the reactionof 2 molecules of l chloro-2.4.-dinitrobenzol with 2 molecules ofthiosulfate in accordance with the equation:

N 01+ as. ata

If the attempt is made to obtain the2.4.6.2.4-..6'-hexasnitrodiphenyl-sulfid in the same manner by thereaction of thio-sulfates upon 1 chloro-2.4.6.-tri-nitrobenzol, only adark brown product is obtained which does not represent the desiredcompound. Now.

it has been found that the hexa compound can be formed if in place of 2molecules of (bio-sulfate only 1 molecule of thiosulfate is caused toact upon 2 molecules of chlorotrinitrobenzol, the reaction being carriedout in the reverse order to that indicated in the said patent. Thereaction then occurs in accordance with the following equation:

can readily be effected by the addition of carbonates of thealkalis,-earthy alkalis and of magnesium. The reaction is thereforequite different from that in the process disclosed by the saidGermanpatent and a per- 60 fectlynovel and unexpected reaction takes place.The inventive dea resides in utilizmg the greater capacity for reactionof the hl r e m mesh n th r nitro Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr.'13, 1915.

Application filed August 20, 1913. Serial No. 785,779.

group contained in the l-chloro-QAfi-trinitrobenzol, by employing but a.single molecule of thio-sulfate.

Example: 100 kg. of 1-chloro-2.4=.6.-trinitrobenzol and 19 kg. ofmagnesium carbonate are heated to boiling point with four times thequantity of alcohol in a boiler provided with a reflux cooler and slowlymixed with kg. of sodium thiosulfate while constantly agitating andheating. The reaction takes place readily with vigorous development ofcarbonic acid. The 2.4.6.2.4.6 heXa-nitro-diphenyl sulfid sepa- I No 0,

ties and can therefore be used with advantage for the manufacture ofexplosives, especially in the manufacture of charges for projectiles,mines, torpedoes, fuses, detonating caps and the like. The advantagespresented by this product as compared with the dltbll HUUW! substancesgenerally employed for this purpose, are as follows:

1. Great chemical stability: HeXa-nitro diphenylsulfid is completelyinsoluble in water and is not decomposed when boiled with water. Evenwhen boiled with soda lye the body does not experience anydecomposition, which differentiates it from all other known aromaticnitro bodies. Even at high temperatures this bodyis very stable.Explosion takes place only at 290 -centigrade, without the slightestdecomposition phenomena arising previously. I

-2. Great explosive effect: The deformation in a lead sphere 40 mm. indiameter 20% ofwater 1400 ccm. With 50 gr. of

trinitrotoluol 1480 ccm. With 50 gr. of

amounts With grams of gun cotton with picric acid 1530 ccm. WVith 50 gr.anitrodiphenylsulfid 1630 com.

Accordingly, hexa-nitro-diphenyl sulfid is of greater power than allexplosives hitherto used for the same purposes, being more 1630 1480' Itoluol which has hitherto been most generally used. v

3'. Capacityfor compression: Hexa-nitrodiphenyl sulfid can be subjectedto "a pressure of 3000 kg. per square centimeter with out danger anddoes not lose its high detonating capacity in this condition. If apressureof 2000 kg. per square centimeter be employed, a density of 1.7is reached, in which respect this novel explosive is superior to otherexplosives. As compared with tri-nitro-toluol with the ordinary densityof hexpowerful by 1.1 times than tri-nitro of 1.6, this amounts to agreater force of.

}';=1.06. In conjunction with the 111 times greater force in the leadblock them is therefore a'total advantage of 1.17, that is to say of17%. I

A. The formation of free sulfurous acid in detonating: The freesulfurous acid contained in the gases upon detonation renders itimpossible for any human being to remain in any closed space, such asthe casemate, interior of a ship or the like that has been struck by theprojectile.

5. Contrary to what is the case with most of the aromatic nitro bodies,hexa-nitrodiphenyl sulfid does not color yellow and is not poisonous.

This property renders it easy to use the explosive for charges andparticularly differentiates it from hexa-nitrodiphenylamin which isused.

Itis known inthe usual mercuryfulminate caps to replace a portion of themercury fulminatc by aromatic nitro-bodies,

particularly tri-nitro-toluol and tetra-nitromethyl-anilin.Hexa-nitro-diphenyl sulfid is especially suited for replacing thesearomatic nitro bodies, as it presents a considerably greater explosiveeffect than trinitro-toluol and greater security against shocks andblows and greater chemical stability than tetra-nitro-methyl-anilin.

An explosive or gun-powder will consist of hexa-nitro di-phenyl sulfidmixed or inappropriate, solvent and an acidneutraliz ing means. i

2. A process for the manufacture of 2. 4. 6. 2. 4. 6' hexa nitrodiphenyl sulfid, which consists in reacting upon a mixtureof 1 chloro2.4.6. trinitro benzol, magnesium carbonate and alcohol with sodiumthiosulfate while constantly agitating and heating.

OARL HARTMANN. WVitnesses:

HANS DUMONT, LOUIS VANDORN.

